MassDOT details coming replacement of four rail bridges as part of South Coast Rail project

Thursday

Apr 17, 2014 at 8:13 PMApr 18, 2014 at 12:15 AM

Jo C. Goode Herald News Staff Reporter @jgoodeHN

FALL RIVER — The replacement of four old rail bridges — three in Fall River and one in New Bedford — is the first major project on tap as the Massachusetts Department of Transportation moves ahead with the $2.2 billion South Coast Rail project to return passenger rail service to the SouthCoast. South Coast Rail is set to improve and expand freight service to the area, Project Manager Jean Fox said.

“This is the beginning of an economic driver in the region,” said Fox, speaking at a MassDOT public meeting on Wednesday.

Bids for the $35.7 million, two-year bridge replacement project are expected to be advertised this summer, and work should begin next spring.

The proposed replacement of the bridges that now accommodate freight in the short-term will improve freight service. Those bridges are located in Fall River at President Avenue (Route 6) and at Brownell Street. In New Bedford is the three-span Wamsutta railroad bridge, used for freight travel over Route 18, Acushnet Avenue and Wamsutta Street.

Fox said there are many communities that don’t embrace freight rail but that "it is a catalyst for this region.”

Fox said MassDOT is already in talks with Republic Waste Services, the owner of the Fall River Landfill, which is set to close in October. In its place will be a transfer station that could use the freight lines to haul solid waste.

The Golf Club Road railroad bridge off North Main Street near the Fall River Country Club is closed because of disrepair. It once carried Golf Club Road over existing train track and is due to be completely replaced under MassDOT plans.

The $2.6 million project should not affect traffic to a large degree, and an existing access road built after the bridge was closed will remain the thoroughfare to the golf course.

The railroad bridges over President Avenue and Brownell Street, totaling $16.3 million, will be completely removed and replaced. The spans will be raised, and the center pier will be removed on the President Avenue bridge.

MassDOT is coordinating the bridge projects with the Route 79 project and the closure of President Avenue, and temporary lane closures will be required. MassDOT plans to limit full and extended lane closures to nights and weekends.

Brownell Street is expected to be closed for a longer duration, while maintaining access to the neighborhoods and restricting some on-street parking.

New Bedford’s $16.8 million Wamsutta Bridge project will be more challenging. The freight rail line is expected to be closed for about seven months, and MassDOT is planning on the complete demolition and reconstruction of the spans.

Portions of the new bridge will be constructed near the work sites and installed in place using accelerated bridge construction technology.

Traffic impacts on Route 8 will include reducing both northbound and southbound lanes to two travel lanes for about six to nine months. Work on the new bridges will also require that Acushnet Avenue will need to be closed, and a detour set up near Wamsutta Street, for about six months.